Beverage dispenser head for mixing concentrate, diluent and additive

Abstract

A dispenser head for in-line mixing and dispensing of beverages, which may be carbonated or nitrogenated. The dispenser head comprising a pump, a dilution mechanism, an additive mechanism, and outlet nozzle and optionally a regulation system. In use, the pump can pump concentrate liquid for the liquid product from a concentrate source to the dilution mechanism; the dilution mechanism can receive diluent liquid suitable for the liquid product from a diluent source, operable to mix the diluent liquid and the concentrate liquid and provide diluted concentrate liquid; and the additive mechanism can receive additive fluid for the liquid product from an additive source, to combine the diluted concentrate liquid and the additive fluid. The regulation system comprises a pump regulator means for regulating the quantity of concentrate liquid pumped into the dilution mechanism within the dispense period; a diluent quantity regulator means for regulating the flow of diluent liquid into the dilution mechanism; and an additive quantity regulator means for regulating the flow of additive fluid into the additive mechanism. Preferably, the dispenser head is a unitary device, which may be supplied attached to a vessel containing the concentrate.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A dispenser head comprising a pump, a dilution mechanism, an additive mechanism and an outlet nozzle,
 the pump comprising an attachment mechanism including a duct, a rotor rotatably mounted within a pump housing, the pump housing comprising a pump inlet and a pump outlet, wherein the duct is in fluid flow communication with the pump inlet and the pump outlet is in fluid flow communication with the dilution mechanism, 
 the dilution mechanism comprising a dilution housing comprising a dilution chamber and a diluent duct comprising a diluent inlet and an orifice, the diluent duct being in fluid flow communication with the diluent chamber by means of the orifice and the pump outlet opening into the diluent chamber, wherein the diluent inlet and the orifice are upstream of the pump outlet, 
 the diluent mechanism being connected to the additive mechanism via a valve, 
 the additive mechanism comprising an additive housing comprising an additive chamber, an additive inlet in fluid flow communication with the additive chamber, and the additive chamber being in fluid flow communication with the outlet nozzle. 
 
     
     
       2. A dispenser head according to  claim 1 , wherein the valve is configured to direct fluid flowing from the dilution chamber to the additive chamber in a radially outward direction. 
     
     
       3. A dispenser head according to  claim 2 , wherein the valve comprises a flexible member extending generally radially from a central axis, a peripheral area of the flexible member abutting the housing of the dilution mechanism when no fluid is flowing from the additive mechanism to the dilution mechanism. 
     
     
       4. A dispenser head according to  claim 1 , wherein the additive mechanism comprises a first volume and a second volume, the valve being configured to direct fluid flowing from the dilution chamber to the first volume of the additive chamber in a radially outward direction, with the first volume of the additive chamber being configured to direct the fluid passing from the valve into a centre region of the additive chamber. 
     
     
       5. A dispenser head according to  claim 4 , wherein the additive inlet is in fluid flow communication with the second volume of the additive chamber, the second volume of the additive chamber being in fluid flow communication with the outlet nozzle. 
     
     
       6. A dispenser head according to  claim 4 , wherein the first volume of the additive chamber is configured to direct the film of fluid flowing from the dilution chamber into a centre region of the first volume of the additive chamber. 
     
     
       7. A dispenser head according to  claim 4 , wherein the additive mechanism comprising the additive housing, including first and second volumes of the additive chamber and the additive inlet are substantially free of corners or abrupt changes in direction. 
     
     
       8. A dispenser head according to  claim 4 , where in the additive chamber further includes a third additive volume, and a fourth additive volume. 
     
     
       9. A dispenser head according to  claim 8 , wherein the second volume comprises a generally cylindrical volume extending longitudinally between the first volume and the fourth volume. 
     
     
       10. A dispenser head according to  claim 8 , wherein the fourth volume is located adjacent the outlet nozzle. 
     
     
       11. A dispenser head according to  claim 8 , wherein the third volume of the additive chamber surrounds the second volume, extending coaxially with the second volume, additive fluid A can be conveyed through the additive inlet into the generally annular third volume and distributed azimuthally around the second volume conveying the diluted concentrate C d , the second and third volumes being separated by a generally annular wall. 
     
     
       12. A dispenser head according to  claim 11 , wherein a one-way additive valve is located between the third volume and the fourth volume such that the additive fluid A within the third volume can flow into the fourth volume, but fluid cannot pass from the fourth volume to the third volume. 
     
     
       13. A dispenser head according to  claim 1 , wherein the pump, the dilution mechanism, the additive mechanism and the outlet nozzle are provided in the form of a unitary device. 
     
     
       14. A dispenser head according to  claim 1 , wherein the additive housing is releasably coupled with the dilution housing by means of a connection mechanism. 
     
     
       15. A dispenser head according to  claim 1 , which is disposable. 
     
     
       16. A dispenser head according to  claim 1 , further comprising a regulation system comprising:
 a pump regulator for regulating the flow rate of concentrate liquid pumped into the dilution mechanism; 
 a diluent quantity regulator for regulating the flow rate of diluent liquid that flows into the dilution mechanism; and 
 an additive quantity regulator for regulating the flow rate of additive fluid that flows into the additive mechanism. 
 
     
     
       17. A dispenser head as claimed in  claim 16 , in which the additive flow rate regulator is configured such that the flow rate of the additive fluid when its pressure is 1000 kPa is no more than 110% of the flow rate of the additive fluid when its pressure in the additive source is 600 kPa. 
     
     
       18. A dispenser head as claimed in  claim 16 , in which the regulation system comprises
 a processor configured for 
 receiving input data indicative of the quantity of liquid product to be dispensed, and 
 issuing control signals operable to control at least one respective operating parameter of each of the diluent quantity regulator and the additive quantity regulator, to dispense the quantity of the liquid product. 
 
     
     
       19. A dispenser head as claimed in  claim 1 , in which the diluent orifice has an outlet area that is sufficiently small to produce a jet of diluent liquid for promoting mixing with the concentrate liquid. 
     
     
       20. A dispenser head as claimed in  claim 1 , in which the pump comprises
 a rotor housed within 
 a pump housing, configured such that the rotor can be driven to rotate within the pump housing operable to transport concentrate liquid from 
 the pump inlet in fluid communication with the concentrate source, to 
 the pump outlet in fluid communication with the dilution chamber; 
 a seal member bearing against the rotor operable to prevent concentrate liquid from passing from the pump outlet to the pump inlet, and to expel concentrate liquid into the pump outlet. 
 
     
     
       21. A dispenser head according to  claim 20 , wherein the pump mechanism and the diluent duct are cooperatively configured such that pressure of diluent liquid within the diluent duct can be transmitted onto the rotor via the seal member. 
     
     
       22. A dispenser head as claimed in  claim 20 , wherein the pump further comprises a resilient compression member located within a rear chamber behind the seal member opposite a side that contacts the rotor. 
     
     
       23. A dispenser head according to  claim 1 , in which the additive inlet is configured to be free of nucleation sites for the formation of gas bubbles within additive fluid when the additive fluid is an effervescible liquid. 
     
     
       24. A dispenser head as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the additive chamber comprises bubble nucleation means and/or is configured to include nucleation sites for promoting the formation of gas bubbles. 
     
     
       25. A dispenser head according to  claim 1 , in which the additive mechanism comprises
 an additive disperser for dispersing the additive fluid within the additive chamber; and is configured such that 
 the additive fluid will be dispersed before being combined with the diluted concentrate liquid. 
 
     
     
       26. A dispenser head as claimed in  claim 1 , comprising
 a plurality of elements that can be functionally coupled to each other, 
 a first element comprising the dilution mechanism, and 
 a second element comprising the additive mechanism. 
 
     
     
       27. A dispenser head as claimed in  claim 26 , comprising a coupling mechanism for reversibly connecting the additive mechanism to the dilution mechanism such that when the additive mechanism is connected to the dilution mechanism by the coupling mechanism, diluted concentrate liquid can flow from the dilution mechanism into the additive mechanism. 
     
     
       28. A dispenser head according to  claim 1 , wherein the pump, the dilution mechanism, the additive mechanism and the outlet nozzle are a unitary construction. 
     
     
       29. A dispenser head according to  claim 1 , which is a beverage dispenser head. 
     
     
       30. An in-line dispenser assembly comprising
 a dispenser head as claimed in  claim 1  and 
 a supplemental fluid supply system for supplying
 the diluent liquid through a diluent channel and 
 the additive fluid through an additive channel; 
 configured such that 
 
 the dilution mechanism can be connected to the diluent channel such that the diluent liquid can flow from the diluent channel into the dilution mechanism, and 
 the additive mechanism can be connected to the additive channel such that the additive fluid can flow from the additive channel to the additive mechanism. 
 
     
     
       31. An in-line dispenser assembly as claimed in  claim 30 , in which the supplemental fluid supply system is configurable for supplying at least one of the diluent liquid and the additive fluid at a temperature in a range of 1° C. to 10° C. 
     
     
       32. An in-line dispenser assembly as claimed in  claim 30 , in which the supplemental fluid supply system is configurable for supplying effervescible additive liquid at a pressure of 600 to 1000 kPa. 
     
     
       33. An in-line dispenser assembly as claimed in  claim 30 , in which the supplemental fluid supply system is capable of supplying carbonated or nitrogenated aqueous additive liquid. 
     
     
       34. A method of dispensing a quantity of effervescible liquid product using a dispenser head as claimed in  claim 1 , the method including:
 determining a quantity of concentrate liquid and a quantity of additive liquid to be combined and dispensed as constituents of the liquid product, the additive liquid being effervescible liquid; 
 providing a concentrate source connected to the pump mechanism such that the pump mechanism can pump concentrate liquid from the concentrate source to the dilution mechanism; 
 activating the pump mechanism to pump the quantity of concentrate liquid into the additive mechanism; 
 putting an additive source into fluid communication with the additive mechanism to allow the quantity of additive liquid to flow into the additive mechanism; and 
 dispensing the quantity of liquid product comprising the quantity of the concentrate liquid and the quantity of additive liquid. 
 
     
     
       35. A method as claimed in  claim 34 , including:
 determining a quantity of diluent liquid to be combined with the quantity of concentrate liquid; 
 putting a diluent source into fluid communication with the dilution mechanism to allow the quantity of the diluent liquid to flow into the dilution mechanism, the quantity of concentrate liquid mixing with the quantity of diluent liquid as they flow through the dilution mechanism to provide a quantity of diluted concentrate liquid to the additive mechanism for combination with the additive liquid; and 
 dispensing the quantity of liquid product comprising the quantity of the concentrate liquid, the quantity of diluent liquid and the quantity of additive liquid. 
 
     
     
       36. A method as claimed in  claim 35 , including:
 dispensing at least a portion of the quantity of diluted concentrate before dispensing the additive liquid for combination with the diluted concentrate; then 
 dispensing the additive liquid for combination with the diluted concentrate and 
 dispensing the remainder of the diluted concentrate if the dispensed portion is less than the quantity of the diluted concentrate to be comprised in the liquid product. 
 
     
     
       37. A method as claimed in  claim 34 , including preventing any diluent liquid from entering the dilution mechanism so that additive liquid is combined with undiluted concentrate liquid. 
     
     
       38. A method of dispensing a quantity of still liquid product using a dispenser head as claimed in  claim 1 , the method including:
 determining a quantity of concentrate liquid and a quantity of diluent liquid to be combined and dispensed as constituents of the liquid product; 
 providing a concentrate source connected to the pump mechanism such that the pump mechanism can pump concentrate liquid from the concentrate source to the dilution mechanism; 
 activating the pump mechanism to pump the quantity of concentrate liquid into the dilution mechanism; putting a diluent source into fluid communication with the dilution mechanism to allow the quantity of diluent liquid to flow into the dilution mechanism; and 
 dispensing the quantity of liquid product comprising the quantity of the concentrate liquid and the quantity of diluent liquid.